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Fig. 3 | Arthritis Research & Therapy

Fig. 3

From: Epigenetic modification of miR-217 promotes intervertebral disc degeneration by targeting the FBXO21-ERK signalling pathway

Fig. 3

FBXO21 is directly targeted by miR-217 and is a regulator of IDD. A Gene ontology analysis showing the highest enrichment scores of the downregulated GO terms, including those involved in imaginal disc-derived wing margin morphogenesis, ECM structural constituent, and extracellular region. B Heatmap of all differentially expressed mRNAs between the sample with IDD and the paired controls. C The target of miR-217 was verified by Cytoscape. D Venn diagram displaying miR-217, computationally predicted to target FBXO21 by different algorithms. E The mRNA 3′UTR of FBXO21 and the putative miR-217 binding site sequence have high sequence conservation and complementarity with miR-217. F The wild- or mutant-type FBXO21 3′UTR reporter plasmid was either cotransfected with miR-217 mimics or inhibitor into cultured NP cells. As the 3′-UTR of wild-type FBXO21 contains miR-217 binding sites, the translation of firefly luciferase was inhibited in the miR-217 mimics group. Thus, by measuring the luciferase activity, it can be determined FBXO21 is the target gene of the miR-217. G, H The expression level of FBXO21 was evaluated by western blotting and qRT–PCR. n = 3. IDD, intervertebral disc degeneration; miR, microRNA; NP, nucleus pulposus; GO, gene ontology; mut, mutant; WT, wild type; FBXO21, F-box only protein 21. ***P < 0.001

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